To Build a Home
by Elfwine
Summary: A 'word prompt' slash 'drabble' series inspired by music, mood, quotes, and speculation, with bits reflecting all the feelings of a signal individual.
1. Judgment Day

"There is some refuge from life. We must brave the storm without false pretense that in the end, we will not die." Legolas took his father's shaking hand and wept silently.

"She is not gone from us forever, father." He said. "We will see her again, and rejoice, for we will be together again."

Thranduil would not look up from the floor. "You are not so rooted as I, who am doomed to fade with my subjects, until the end has finally come."

"There is no sanctuary, Legolas. Only death awaits us."

Legolas grimaced.

Thranduil sighed, "Only separation, and submission."


	2. Evade

The glass wasn't golden, it was simply made of wood, but the rim was covered in silver and the handsome sterling reflected the firelight modestly. Yet its content was always water.

Wine caused the Elven-king burning sorrow. Water gave him cool comfort.

Yeas after his youth was only brilliant in his gentle laughter, Legolas drank from the same glass, and followed his father's lesson. He avoided the wine before the hunt, when the mind was stirred with memory of a forest image long from reach.

There were demons in that red water that needn't be awoken: shadows of secret recollection.


	3. Change

To teach one to laugh again was an accomplishment to be proud of, even when Legolas had taught the child to shoot and to lunge.

He had been a brother to her.

Since the beginning, all Legolas had ever wanted was to teach Tauriel to feel again utter joy; to make her see that the day still contained wonders for the eyes and heart.

His feelings for her never changed.

But _her_ feelings had, for she grew wild with question and curiosity. This alteration only caused the breach between them to expand.

A shadow trespassed were light was once welcomed.


	4. Patience

It hit him before he saw it, and he felt the water dripped off his calm smile. Arod, his horse, had alarmed ears and eyes.

"Child…" It was a warning, but the child did not follow. Instead, she thrust her arms into the trough and began to splash around.

Watching her was almost bizarre and amusing, but Legolas wondered if all Dwarf children were so inclined to tolerate Elves.

Why Gimli had left him with his young cousin's daughter could be anyone's guess.

Legolas thought it was because Gimli did not take to water well, and neither did his beard.


	5. Heart

Legolas could recall the days when his father had been most happy, which was some time after Thranduil had emerged from his depression of loss, and began living for his only child.

Legolas had learned an important lesson from these actions: that strength did not come from strength of mind, but from strength of heart.

It changed the course of much good reasoning and better judgment, and often overpowered the mentality from which these things generally originated.

In the end, Legolas had chosen to remain beside his friends, though they now live grey and weary of life: all reason forsaken.


	6. Fighter

Legolas cherished moments like these; they reminded him of a Dwarf's superior willfulness to live as he always has.

The sound of leather and metal buckles dragging across the floor overwhelmed the stable and Legolas smiled softly.

"Gimli, will you not let Faramir carry the saddle?"

There was a scoff of frustration.

Legolas turned to see that Gimli's face was nearly as red as his graying beard.

Faramir paused. "If you would like…?"

Gimli gave them a fleeting smile. "Much appreciated, but however, unnecessary."

Eventually there was success.

"Now, all we need is to replace the halter with his bridle."


	7. Realization

Legolas laughed as he watched the leaf take to the wind and sail away.

"Irony is not amusing." She rolled over onto her tummy and pulled at his sleeve. "Can we go now?"

"No, we must wait for the birds to fly over." He smiled at her grumpy scowl.

"But that's so boring..." She stressed almost every word, but remained still.

Just then, Legolas pointed up at the sky. He could see the two great eagles passing over, their talons locked together.

Tauriel frowned. "Why are they fighting?"

"It may look that way to you, but they are really dancing."


	8. Bliss

Legolas gazed up at the soft grey sky and dripping canopies. Gentle drops of rain hit his upturned face, and each touch of water caused an amusing reaction: an eye twitch or a sneeze.

He let his horse walk the path by its own will, for his arms hung down at his sides in relaxation.

The chill caused him to tremble, but he found it unexpectedly refreshing. His senses had heightened, and the smell of the earth drew his attention.

The world had become a part of him, and he a part of it. Beyond doubt, this was unconditional bliss.


	9. Banter

Legolas crossed his arms, his face fixed with a stern stare. "You have gone and gotten yourself injured?"

Gimli wore a bandage proudly about his skull and smiled brightly past his red beard.

"And you find it amusing?"

"Only the reaction it has caused from you." Gimli said wisely.

Legolas sighed appreciably, and then let his arms detangle. "Come, let us re-fresh the bandage, for all this jumping about has caused your blood to redden what you already wear."

Gimli huffed impatiently, but followed. "Elves and sparrows only jump about; Dwarves _walk_ and keep two feet on the steady earth!"

* * *

Happy New Year!


	10. Reflect

Legolas could see his face reflected in the old mirror. It had belonged to his mother.

The sound of a sheet being pulled away from a piece of furniture almost startled him, his attention was so fixed on the glass.

"Look here, Legolas." The Elven-king lifted up the lid of a musty crate and smiled. "I remember these."

Legolas could see in the mirror he held a reflection of a wooden bare in the palm of his father's hand.

"Your mother made these."

_And she had also made a sail, and she had also made a living nightmare._


	11. Trust

He could not move.

Is this the last one?

There was a soft exhale, followed by another.

The amount of time between each one was painfully eternal.

Legolas despised death, which in turn, could not always be rewarded with life.

In Arod's case, it would go unrewarded.

The grey gelding, once fiery and strong, was now swayed back and going white.

His knees suffered excessive arthritis, and his eyes drooped.

He was also turning thirty-three today.

But Arod allowed the Elf a powerful sign of absolute trust: he _laid down beside_ Legolas, and passed onto greener pastures, calm and content.


	12. Them

Legolas could hear the sound of the waves retreating and advancing day and night. Yet the sound of this did not lull him to sleep.

He was restless and tired, and sleep evaded him.

There was something missing from his life every day. When he woke, for a single moment he felt indescribably overjoyed to be in Valinor.

And then he remembered…something.

He saw their faces, heard their voices, and felt the warmth of their laughter.

But it was a memory Legolas was having trouble seeing as he once did.

Had he forgotten them already, had his mind deserted them?


	13. Freedom

"What is freedom with boundaries?" Legolas asked.

"With boundaries it is not freedom." Thranduil answered. "But we are released from evil. The trees are green again."

Legolas smiled. "And that is good news." He looked at the sun.

Thranduil looked with him. "Everyday we see something that may change the idea of freedom. But we also have privileges and laws to keep crime from terrorizing the people. Freedom is an idea: an ideal idea. And in its ideal state it is a good one."

"Perhaps one day we will come to deserve such freedom, after the final battle." Thranduil said.


	14. Nonsense

"Here, Gimli, use mine."

"Don't need one."

"You always do."

"No, Legolas, it is yours. Besides, this will teach me a very handy lesson."

"Oh, what would that be?"

"To never forget my knife."

"But then, how will you gut the fish?"

"…"

"Alright, give it to me! No reason to be so bossy."

"It should be sharp enough, I use it on Orcs, why not a fish?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing of any importance."

"Well, it seems important enough to speak aloud."

"I only forgot if I had sharpened the knife. I was trying to remind myself."


	15. Take

Elves had an uncanny interest in stars, lights, or shinny things. So did birds.

Legolas always recalled the raven who would steal anything that looked silver or bright, and would then carry it away to its nest.

Dwarves and Elves were the same. They found something in the heart of the mountain, or in the heart of the sky, that glistened and burned. And they would always wish or hunt for that single object of desire.

Because both races coveted jewels and light, Legolas wondered if that made them similar to birds.

But did taking them make them thieves also?


	16. Clarity

When Frodo had presented the ring to the council, Legolas felt the weight of everyone's doubt and criticism snap away.

And it took less time for everyone to appear even more negative.

But clarity came also.

He should have wondered, he should have felt confusion, but all Legolas _had_ felt was understanding and _doom_.

Later one, he would try to ignore that fact that _it_ was working on the edges of his concerns and the remains of his fears.

However, the pressure passed quickly when he proved less willing to listen and more inclined to deny _its_ logic and temptations.


	17. Remember

Legolas tracked his father at his heels and smiled at the ground. They moved through the torch lit corridors wordlessly, their feet whispering discreetly against the stone.

"Now that the excitement is over, we can return to the celebrations and remember the troubles of burglars and exiles with unseemly fondness." Thranduil sounded amused.

"Strange," Legolas mused. "The great ones seem to remember mostly dragon fire and great Princes, not exiles and wits."

"Do you speak of scholars or gods?"

"That and people like ourselves, Kings and other Princes, including the people unremembered due to the importance of rank." Legolas said.


	18. Rubbish

"You obviously exaggerate!"

"Why would I?"

"Thorin must have lied, my father might admire a bit of silver but he does not abandon an entire race to starvation because he was refused something he already has, not if he can help it!"

"Well then, what about that whole mess with my distant relative, Kili. No Dwarf in their right mind would fall in love with an Elf!"

"Wait, ere we reach the Golden Wood you may change your mind."

"What I want to know is _who_ started these ridiculous rumors. Lies, I tell you, lies!"

"Absolutely complete and utter rubbish."


	19. Anomaly

Legolas was not want for conflict, but there was a time when an emotional fever took hold and caused him to react with ill behavior.

Leaping to his people's defense, but to Gimli's as well, _against_ his people: it bounced back at times.

Befriending a Dwarf had opened his eyes, and Legolas was unafraid to admit this growth in character and opinion.

Now if he could just get Gimli's father to sit beside Thranduil at the table…

Could two trees grow in the same spot and intertwine?

It sometimes happened if everything was just right, and he hoped it would.


	20. To Seem

She looked at him in wonder, with respect, and hope. Who could not?

Aragorn was a great man, with great expectations.

If his heart was not already enclosed by the love of another, he and the maiden Eowyn would have seemed an ideal match.

But that was not enough.

To only seem to belong was not to seem in love.

To seem was like a dream, or a wish that could not come true.

Aragorn however, looked upon her with equal feelings, though not with romantic ideas.

Legolas understood this misunderstanding, and he felt that Eowyn would rise above it.


	21. Haste

His temper had been sprung by the hasty words of Eomer.

_'How could he judge and threaten, Gimli in such a way?'_

It had been a harsh response from the horse-lord, one that infuriated the Prince and sent him spiraling in anger and frustration.

Legolas would have demanded some kind of apology or remorse from the man, but his only words had been a warning.

Being a friend was also being an ally to that friend: one did not turn their backs on unfair treatment.

_'Haste is the words of haste living creatures, for they have little time to judge.'_


	22. Divided

The sound of a gull was not especially pretty, but sad and piercing, like longing and distant sorrow.

Legolas felt it, though the temptation to follow was often strained and gentle. However, it became stronger with age.

As his friends began to fall away, like withering winter leaves, he began to mourn and sue his soul for resting peace.

His heart only told him that he would not find it in Middle-earth.

But Legolas did not desire being parted from his greatest friends until the Creator made the world anew.

For all his patience, he could not wait so long.


	23. Children

"Take her, Legolas; she will not bite you like she does me."

Legolas smiled as the hawk clung to his forearm. "Are we going to set her off over the cliff?"

"She would not return the last time."

Legolas exhaled with fondness. "The young ones are always the most stubborn."

"She appears to be rather calm." Thranduil observed.

A voice came from inside the tent. "You are taking the child with you?"

Galion did not like Tauriel, who was reaching up to pet the Hawk.

Thranduil frowned. "Of course, what he does not know will not hurt him, _eh_, Tauriel?"


	24. Respect

"You are, Legolas." Gloin appeared pessimistic.

"Yes."

Gloin actually smiled a little.

"Welcome to, Erebor." He said.

Legolas had been to the Lonely Mountain in previous years, but this felt like the first time.

"Gimli was quite anxious to speak with you." The Prince continued, "I feel somewhat imposing upon-"

Gloin waved him off. "Nonsense, Gimli would be angrily disappointed if we did not receive you in a friendly manner." He raised one bushy brow. "Besides, you have his highest approval."

Legolas smiled freely for the first time. "And he mine."

Gloin stared in understanding. "All we ever need, approval, _respect_."


	25. Appreciation

He could hear it passing through the forest, wandering down the path.

A deer that stepped so boldly before a place best known to hunters was a great deer: such a beast, with more than twelve points and acorn tips on almost every tip.

A trophy catch, if ever were it caught.

However, Legolas saw that he was an older buck, its meat now hardened with age; too tough to eat with any kind of pleasure.

But even a hungry man might think twice to shoot the animal, for it was a beauty!

In his world, this buck was King.


	26. Purple

"Hand me that brush, please, Gimli."

Gimli grumbled happily, extending the requested tool. "Arwen insist we only use blue and white, but will the child ever care."

Legolas smiled, taking up the brush. "Colors have strange effects on people; I think green calms a person and purple is for-"

"Girls, this one is to be a boy!" Gimli reassured him.

"I like purple, Gimli. Yet I am male." Legolas said.

Gimli shook his head. "There is nothing wrong with purple, but-"

"Besides," Legolas continued. "We have no idea if it is to be a boy."

"Boy." Gimli argued.

Legolas laughed.


	27. Bait

He could feel the water soaking through, and he kicked a little.

Beating his boots around would not help, but he could not resist: he was restless and uncomfortable, _and_ cold.

Legolas learned from his father, that fishing was quite boring, unless you caught a heavy swimmer.

Trout were not stupid. This was another lesson.

They stood in the shallows, watching several layers of water gush over the rocks and fallen limbs.

"Why did we not do this sooner?" Thranduil had his hands in the frozen water, _waiting_.

"Why did we not bring a line or a worm?" Legolas asked.


	28. String

He lifted up the knife, his other hand holding a few strands away from his head, but he suddenly heard loud footsteps coming towards him and his lips quirked.

Gimli came storming in. "What are you doing with your hair?"

Legolas looked up at his friend, "Cutting it."

"Why?"

"I need a new string for my bow."

"But you already have one, what's wrong with the other string." Gimli asked.

Legolas shook his head. "Not as personal."

Gimli gave him a funny look. "It's just a string."

Legolas laughed. "It is also my weapon and my protection, and more so."


	29. Things

He could see the Dwarves arguing among themselves: muttering about the weight of gold and the cost of gems.

They looked sad, but Legolas knew it was not for any obvious reasons.

The true cost was paid, and the weight of gold had been made up in carcasses.

His father showed no absolute interest in the treasure, standing beside the Prince, straight and thoughtful.

The Dwarves became silent, having seen them.

Legolas turned and went from the room, his posture rigid.

_'Things, they had not lived and died for things.'_

He now knew better the curse of possession and want.

* * *

Inspired by 'Aristocrats'.


	30. Fire

Legolas spent so long trying to remember everything that he was helping himself forget.

He could not relax his mind enough to keep the memories; there was too much in his heart to accommodate them.

His father would arrive; they would talk, and try to remember together.

Then one night, Legolas dreamed of silver banners and fire.

It was even more enlightening when he saw him: the small one with the deep searching words and comforting presence.

The one they had named after one of the most Elvish things possible.

That is how Gimli would have put it.

Legolas smiled.

* * *

Sequel To Chapter 'Them'


	31. Brother

"Don't!" One slender hand went up in warning and the word was spoken abruptly.

"Then what should I do?" Tauriel looked and sounded frustrated, and her braid was a mess from running through the trees like a wild animal.

Legolas waved her over, crouching below the branches of a yearling tree. He pointed beyond. "See that glade there?"

She quickly sat beside him and tugged at her cloak. It was cold today. "Yes."

Legolas pressed a smile. "Then that is your destination, something is waiting for you there."

"What would that be?"

"You turn to check the traps," He teased.


	32. Parade

He could hear the drums; he could hear the noise of death, chanting.

A dramatic parade of dark forms cast down upon the mountain.

The flash of steel and the smell of humidity caused several symptoms of trepidation and wrath.

Most were angry, unsettled, or steady standing.

Legolas could see the bleakness of many eyes, the tight frowns of others, and the trembling of horses.

Not enough time to think about _that_, just enough for an opening, he thought.

And when it came, Legolas and the rest of the line smashed forward into the oncoming fleshy barricade of enemy soldiers.


End file.
